Binge-Watching House of Cards? Make Friends With the Monster

“House of Cards” has triggered a feeding frenzy. An estimated 668,000 people binge-watched season 2 of the popular drama series over Presidents’ Day weekend. When the third season’s episodes are released this week, the binge-watching will commence again.

Not only do we binge-watch the show, but there’s a popular fascination right now with trying to understand the meaning and consequences of our binges. Everyone is carried away with trying to figure out why binge-watching “House of Cards” is so widespread, viewing it as a new and exciting phenomenon. What gets less attention is how this seemingly innocuous habit can become unhealthy.

In fact, binge-watching a TV show — watching three or more episodes in one sitting — is neither new nor exciting. Bingeing is the act of creating an engrossing, dramatic experience out of an otherwise mundane activity, whether eating, drinking or watching TV. Binge-eating disorder — eating large amounts of food while experiencing a sense of loss of control — can be traced back thousands of years and today is the most common eating disorder. Binge-drinking has been around for centuries and is common today. In fact, one in six adults in the U.S. binge-drinks four times a month, knocking back about eight drinks per binge. And we’ve been watching too much television for decades; by the late ’90s people had their televisions on an average of seven hours a day in their homes. Today, children ages 2 to 11 watch 3.5 hours of television a day.

“House of Cards” is merely the latest great substance that makes us feel good. And it is great, not only because of the quality of the performances, but also the thought-provoking content. Kevin Spacey is fantastic. Spacey and Robin Wright present a compelling new archetype of modern love, where honesty and loyalty happily co-exist with infidelity and sociopathy. The show may be our best glimpse into understanding the shadowy and dysfunctional world of D.C. politics.

But binge-watching episodes of “House of Cards” is the same kind of binge as eating a box of Oreos.

Further, binge-watching, like other forms of bingeing, is not particularly exciting, but it provides a form of distraction from uncomfortable feelings of sadness, anxiety and emptiness. Perhaps this explains why we seek to create a sense of newness and excitement by trying to understand this phenomenon. The more intense and dramatic we can make viewing “House of Cards,” the more it serves to distract us.

Just watching a really good television show doesn’t cut it anymore. We want the show to take over our minds even when we are not watching it. It has to mean something “more” or else it’s not worth our time. Thus the question of why we binge-watch “House of Cards” becomes its own answer. The more hype we create by trying to understand the “deeper meaning” behind our binges, the more the show serves as the type of distraction that makes us want to binge-watch in the first place. Both the quality of the show and the burning question of “Why?” combine to make spending hours watching and debating “House of Cards” a great distraction from the dullness and routine of our lives — more so than if it was simply a great show.

But this is also where watching “House of Cards” can go from being a fun way to spend time to an out-of-control behavior that interferes with our day-to-day productivity. Specifically, the drama around binge-watching “House of Cards” creates the sense that there is something wrong with watching three or more episodes back-to-back. When we think there is something wrong, we will most likely try to suppress those feelings. Paradoxically, research suggests suppressing urges to eat or drink, or even suicidal ideation, can worsen rather than improve the problem. It’s safe to assume the same goes for watching TV. Our bodies and minds overcompensate when we try to control them too much by taking what they want plus a bit more. People experience this phenomenon when they spend hours suppressing their urge to eat four Oreos, only to give up and eat 12 Oreos.

How Do We Keep Our ‘House of Cards’ Binge Habit Healthy?

Well, the first thing is to embrace loving it. Let’s face it, we don’t generally dig that many things. If you are into the show, let yourself be into it. In fact, get obsessed with it — read blogs, find out about the characters. Talk to your friends who are interested. By embracing the fun things about the show, you get all of that positive feeling we look for when we binge. And do this in a structured way — that is, set aside time for it so that you know you’ll enjoy it.

Second, let yourself use the show as a distraction. It can be very helpful to have a queue of favorite shows, whether originals or re-runs, to turn to when you’re feeling low, stressed or depressed. There is nothing wrong with using distraction to get through a difficult time. For example, when trying to diet, there is a difference between suppression and distraction. Actively suppressing thoughts backfires; distracting from feelings of hunger or urges to eat unhealthy foods by engaging in another enjoyable behavior like watching “House of Cards” is a good distraction that can help us through a difficult urge.

Finally, as Rihanna sings, make “friends with the monster.” Trying to pretend that you don’t like “House of Cards” is like trying to convince yourself that lettuce tastes better than a donut. Most likely, it’s not going to work. If you are feeling out-of-control, one way to regain control is to let it happen. Even moderation has to be done in moderation; we need a certain amount of cutting loose. But have fun with it—make your binge an event and try to manage the negative consequences. If you are feeling like a binge after work, plan to get home and watch three straight episodes starting at 7 so you can be in bed by 11. This is much healthier than trying to resist until you give in and watch six episodes starting at 10 p.m.

Binge-watching, whether it’s “House of Cards” or re-runs of “The Office,” isn’t much of a phenomenon, but it can provide a needed outlet. Maybe we need to stop obsessing about the practice and just let ourselves enjoy a few episodes now and then. After all, realizing that there’s nothing new may be something new after all. I for one am not going to try and stop figuring it out. That would be too boring.

Dr. Mike Friedman is a clinical psychologist in Manhattan and a member of EHE International’s Medical Advisory Board. His views are his own. Follow Dr. Friedman on Twitter @DrMikeFriedman and EHE @EHEintl.

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Everyday Health Guest Columnist

Everyday Health editors and guest columnists tackle commonly asked questions about health and medical conditions. We provide clear explanations and information that will help you understand what you need to...read more